It’s been dance music’s worst-kept secret in recent weeks, but now we know for sure. As Roland continues its special #909day Celebrations —which see them rolling out announcements for a whole range of products over a 24-hour period—the company has confirmed its legendary TB-303 and TR-909 machines will return with updated models for the new generation.
While the new machines won’t be exact replicas of the old hardware, they’re instead miniaturized versions that will be part of Roland’s Boutique line of instruments. The former 303 is now called the TB-03, while the 909 will be called the TR-09.
The Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus from 1979, responsible for so many of those awesome computerized voices, will also make a welcome return, similarly reborn in miniaturized form as the VP-330 Vocoder Plus.
Both the 303 and 909 were hugely influential in helping shape the dancefloor sounds we’re still listening to today. While they’ve been out of factory production for 30 years, demand remains high, and the machines continue to fetch ridiculously high prices on eBay.
The #909day festivities continue, so head on over to the Roland website to join in the fun.
